I forced myself to step back. The more I stared at him, the weaker I’d become. My phone pinged before I could even step away from the window fully. I dug it out of my pocket, already knowing it was either Dee or Tiana. My parents had already called earlier today to get in my business, wanting to know why Hasheem had been sitting outside my house. I was already two seconds away from revoking their Ring camera privileges.Tiana, I confirmed as I glanced at the screen. Tiana and I had been texting and FaceTiming damn near every day since Zanzibar. She had quietly slid into the bestie role and hadn’t let up. I opened our thread and read her message, and my eyes instantly rolled.
Tiana:
Your fire fighter outside yet?
Because if he is and you still inside, I’m flying all the way there to drag you out by your ears.
A laugh slipped out of me before I could catch it.
Me:
Yeah, he out there. Has been all week.
Three dots popped up immediately.
Tiana:
Girl.
Go. Outside!
That man is performing a live Rom Com on your lawn and you stuck in your house like Rapunzel.
I chewed my bottom lip, staring at her last message.
Me:
I can’t, not yet.
Tiana:
You can, you just scared. And that’s fair. But be so for real, Harlowe. If you didn’t want the man, you would’ve blocked his number and put the books and those cute little Chanel bags back on the porch.
I rolled my eyes and blew out a sigh. Tiana didn’t have to clock my tea like that. Instead of answering, I locked my phone and tossed it on the couch like it had offended me personally. A second later, it pinged again. I ignored it for a good thirty seconds, then I huffed, snatched it back up, and checked the screen.
This time, it wasn’t Tiana responding. It was Dee. Opening our thread, I glanced over her message.
Dee:
You are literally in the book.
Me:
And I hate it here.
Dee:
No, you don’t.
I am begging you, as a reader and a friend, to go OUTSIDE and talk to that man.
Me:
No.
Dee:
Don’t piss me off.
